This project for a draft snake can save you on energy bills and keep your rooms cozy and warm. The air that seeps through cracks in the wintertime can be the bane of any room. Whether window sills or under doors, a drafty house is never comfortable.

As much as 20% of heat loss in a typical home can be due to these drafts. Create an easy draft snake with some vintage fabric in any color and some dried beans, buckwheat or rice. In my case I had some wheat berries in the pantry that weren’t getting used. This is a super easy project that takes only about 30 minutes, so it is a great tutorial to make with kids.

Take the measurement of the door or window that you will be making the draft snake for. Close the door to take the measurement. I added 4″ to this measurement, this allows the snake to be tucked cozily in. This DIY can use any durable fabric really and recycled jeans or scrap fabric is a nice option. Its just straight-line sewing, making it easy enough for kids and beginners to do yet offering all sorts of opportunities for exercising your creative vision. Big buttons for snake eyes? Tag ends of shiny ribbon for the forked tongue? Sequins for a rattler tail? Have a look around and see what materials you have that could be repurposed into a one-of-a-kind draftstopper.

First, cut your snake from your fabric allowing for 3-4″ extra in length. Taper the cut so that the head is about 5″ wide and taper that down towards the tail to 3″. for the last 4″ of the tail, taper from 3″ to 1″ so that it will be pointy.

Next sew your eyes onto one side of the right side of the fabric, pin your snake tongue onto the head pinning through from right side of fabric while tongue is on wrong side of fabric. Place right sides together, begin near tail at 3″ wide section and sew (adding 3 backstitches where you begin) around towards head. At head be sure to tuck tongue under and inside toward right sides of fabric. Continue sewing all the way around towards tail and around point of tail. Stop when you are 2″ from origination point and backstitch 3 stitches.

Turn snake right side out, using chopstick to help get the tail to a point. Once snake is right side out, use a funnel and begin to fill with whatever bean or grain you have on hand. Pour your bean/grain into funnel slowly taking your time to avoid my mishap of wheat berries falling over the entire kitchen counter and floor. Once snake is filled, invisible stitch the 2″ hole closed. There you have it, your very own draft snake.